Car-fender.



No. 755,509. PATENTE-D MAR.'22, 1904. G. -&. P. LINH'ARD; GAR FENDER.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 9. 1903.

N0 MODEL. 2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

PATENTED MAR. 22, 1904. G. 6:. P. LINE-ARR. I

GAR FENDER.

APPLIOATIOI FILED mm. 9. 1903. .110 MODEL.

PIC-v.3. 25 4 Patented March 22, 1904.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE LINHARD AND PHILIP LINHARD, OF SUBLETT, MISSOURI.

CAR-FENDER.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 755,509, dated March 22, 1904..

Application filed March 9, 1903. Serial No. 146,978- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, GEORGE LINHARD and PHILIP LINHARD, citizens of the United States, residing at Sublett, in the county of Adair and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Car-Fenders, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to improvements in car-fenders; and one object of our invention is the provision of a car-fender which can be readily attached to the car and which when not in use can be raised or folded to occupy a very small amount of space.

Another object of our invention is the provision of a car-fender which will be comparatively light in weight, but possess great strength to withstand the hard usage to which it may be subjected, and which will be of ornamental and attractive appearance, so as not to disfigure the appearance of thecar.

Another object of our invention is the provision of a car-fender which will be absolutely reliable in operation and which will positively prevent injury to a person when struck and which upon contacting with a person will catch and retain them from falling from the fender.

Another object of our invention is the provision of a car-fender which will act automatically when struck to receive and prevent injury to the person and which will be simple, inexpensive, and thoroughly practical in every particular.

With these objects in view our invention consists of a car-fender embodying novel features of construction and combination of parts, substantially as disclosed herein.

Figure 1 represents a perspective view of our car-fender in position foruse. Fig. 2 represents a similar view with the parts in the position they occupyimmediately after contacting with a person or object and forming the catch basket or receptacle. Fig. 3 represents a vertical central sectional view with the parts in the position they assume when the fender is closed or out of use, and Fig. irepresents a detail view of one of the automatic attachments.

Referring by numerals to the drawings, in which similar numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in the several views of the drawings, the numeral 1 designates one of the platforms of an ordinary street or surface car in connection with which we employ our car-fender, and to the platform of the car by means of suitable fastenings 2 we attach the rectangular frame 3, said frame consisting of the horizontal flat bars and the vertical bars arranged at an angle to the flat bars. To the lower ends of the vertical bars is secured the inner end of the outward-extending strips 1, which have their forward ends provided with the curve portions 5, to which is attached the buffer-springs 6, and leading from the said outer ends to the upper ends of the vertical bars of the frame are the two sets of springs 7, the inner upper ends of the springs being attached to the three-cornered plates 8 and the two sets of springs being connected through the medium of plates 9 and rods 10 with the angular levers 11, said angular levers being pivoted or fulcrumed at 12 to the vertical bars of the frame and having their upper ends 13 pivoted to the cross-bar 15 and their lower ends pivoted at 16 to the sliding plates 17, said sliding plates fitting in sleeves 18 and being retained when the fender is open by means of a spring-lever catch 19. The said levercatches are pivoted intermediate of their ends in the said sleeves and have one end engaging a notch 20 in the sliding plate and the other end engaged by a flat spring 21, which itselfengages the lower end of the plates 22, which are rigidly secured at 23 in the sleeves and have their lower ends secured at 24c to the side rails or strips of the fender. To the said side rails near their forward ends is secured the cross-piece 25, and to this cross-piece and to the cross-piece connected to the upper ends of the angular levers is secured the flexible catch basket or receptacle 26. This basket or receptacle is of peculiar construction and consists of the series of longitudinal flexible sections or strips 28 and the transverse connecting-pieces 27, forming a yielding basket or receptacle, which will positively prevent injury to the person, but which possesses great strength, so as to withstand contact of a heavy weight. To each side rail of the fender is secured the side guards 29, which guards are connected at their inner ends to the longitudinal plates 30, said plates and guards receiving the receptacle and forming a support therefor, as well as providing guards at each side of the fender to prevent a person from rolling under at either side.

The sleeves, with their connections, form what might be properly termed automatic spring latches or catches, and the spring-securing levers are so arranged as to be accessible to the hand in order that they may be released when desired to permit the fender to be closed. I

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the drawings, the operation of our fender will be readily understood, and

it will be evident that when the .fender is in position for use the parts are as, indicated in Fig. 1, with the automatic pivotal connections 16 and springs 7 holding the side rails close to the tracks.v When the frame at the point of the front springs 6 strikes an obstacle, as a' person, for instance, the person falls onto the cradle or catch-basket 26. Said cradle being suspended between rods 15 and 25 when the person strikes the basket 26, the basket is caused to dip and .the weight of the person causes the basket to pull on rods 15 and 25, bringing them toward each other, as shown in Fig. 2. The forward movement of rod 15 carries with it arms 13, moving on pivot 12, and as arm 13 is pivoted at 16 a break is made at the latter point with arm 17, Fig. 2. When thevbreak is made at point 16, arm 11, which is integral with arm 13, pulls on wire 10 and plate 9, thus drawing springs 7 to a position where they will act as side protectors to keep the person from falling out at either side of the frame or fender.

It will be understood thatthe fender can be raised and thrown entirely out of use and held as in Fig. 3 when found necessary or, be held extended by the two catches 18.

. .To move the fenderfrom the position of Fig. 2 to the position indicated in Fig. 3, on reference to Fig. 4: it will be seen that by pressing up the left hand'oflever 19 against spring 21 the right-hand end of said lever 19 will be withdrawn from the notch 20 in arm 17 thus releasing arm 17 as shown indotted lines, and allowing said arm to be pushed into the casing 18 as the fender is being raised to the position shown in Fig. 3. When the fender is dropped-to position shown in Fig. 2,-arm 17 is therebyv pulled out of said casing 18 until the notch 20 in said arm is caught and engaged by the end'of lever 19, and so held by the spring 21, thus holding the arms 22 17 and casing 18 rigidly together.

We claim 1. A car-fender, consistingof a supportingframe, side rails connected to said frame, a

basket or receptacle supported between said rails, levers connected to said basket and frame, and automatic catches between the levers and side rails for rigidly securing the rails when lowered but permitting the entire fender to be raised to a vertical position when said catches are disengaged.

2. A car-fender, consisting of a frame, a pair of side rails pivoted at their inner ends to the frame, front and side buffer-springs, a catch basket or receptacle mounted between the frame and side rails and automatic connections for securing the side rails when lowered and permitting them to rise when struck to form a catch-receptacle.

3. A car-fender, consisting of a frame, side rails pivoted to said frame, a basket supported between the side rails, and frame, angular levers pivoted to the frame and having their upper ends connected to the basket, and automatic catches between the lower ends of the levers and the side rails.

4. A car-fender, consisting of a frame, side rails pivoted to said frame, a basket supported between the side rails and frame, a combined basket support and guard carried by the side rails, and pivotal and adjustable connections between the side railsand frame to permit the raising and lowering of said side rails.

5. A car-fender, consisting of a supportingframe, a pair of angle-leversfulcrumed to said frame, a pair of ,pivoted side rails, pivotal and adjustable connections between the side railsand the lower ends of theangular le vers, and a flexible basket having its upper end secured to the upper ends of the angle-levers and its lower end secured to the side rails.

6. A car-fender, consisting of a frame, a

pair of pivoted side rails, buffer-springs connecting the forward ends of said rails, bufiersprings between the side rails and frame, an-

gle-levers pivoted to the frame, connections between the angle-levers and side springs, a basket connected to the levers and side rails and automatic catches between the levers and side rails for holding the basket in position for use and allowing it to form a catch-receptacle when struck. In testimony whereof we aflix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

- GEORGE LINHARD. PHILIP LINHARD. Witnesses:

CHARLES H. KNAPP, B. F. HEINY. 

